ON CAMPUS College news and notes

Malone: Jeff Jackson, a junior on the golf team from Columbiana High, is one of five returning players who helped the Pioneers win their first NAIA national championship last spring. In last year's national meet, Jackson had a 1-under-par 287 to place 12th overall and lead Malone to the title for coach Ken Hyland. The Pioneers produced a four-day score of 1-under-par 1,151 for a seven-stroke triumph. This year, Malone is ranked No. 2 in the NAIA pre-season poll behind North Greenville (S.C.), which defeated the Pioneers at the Malone Fall Classic last October.
Kelly Watt, a junior from West Branch High, is a member of the women's golf team. The Pioneers enter their second season of play with a No. 25 pre-season ranking in NAIA.
Sophomore Katie Lamport from Poland High is a member of the softball team. She led the Pioneers in wins (12) and innings pitched (127 1/3) last year, as Malone posted a 20-20 record, including 11-11 in the American Mideast Conference. "Katie is a very powerful pitcher who uses her speed well," Coach Sharon Looney said. The Pioneers opened the season Monday against Thiel College at Disney's Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla.
Two Youngstown-area track and field performers were among 16 scheduled to represent Malone at the NAIA Indoor National Championships in Johnson City, Tenn., this week -- Megan Young, a senior from Diamond and Southeast High in the mile relay; and Tiffany French, a freshman from Bristol High in the shot put.
Hiram: Three senior baseball players from the Youngstown area -- Charles Williams (LaBrae High), Joe Detoro (Poland High) and Brian Frasco (Ursuline High and Hubbard) -- are among the top holdovers this season for the Terriers. The trio helped Hiram set a school record last year for wins in a season with 27. Williams, a center fielder, led Hiram in stolen bases (35), runs scored (52) and outfield assists (4). He also ranked No. 3 in stolen bases per game in the final NCAA Division III statistics. Williams was selected to the All-North Coast Athletic Conference team. Detoro, a catcher, batted .340 in 22 games, while Frasco was a pitcher and designated hitter. On the mound, Frasco struck out 31 while walking nine in nine appearances over 441/3 innings. He also batted .319 with seven home runs, six doubles and 26 RBIs in 40 games. The Terriers opened the season Sunday in the Gene Cusic Classic in Fort Myers, Fla.
One of the top hitters on the softball team last year, Justine Beshara from Lowellville High, returns for her senior season. Beshara, a center fielder, batted .315 last year. The Terriers have a new coach this year in Heather Rakosik, a 1998 Muskingum College graduate. The squad began the season Sunday at the Cusic Classic.
Coastal Carolina: Two McDonald High graduates -- Kara Koppel and Marilyn Testa -- are sophomore members of the women's indoor track and field team. They helped Coastal Carolina to a third-place finish, out of eight teams, at the Big South Conference Meet held recently in Blacksburg, Va. Koppel was fourth in the 3-kilometer run in 10:24, while Testa placed fifth in the pole vault (10 feet) and seventh in the high jump (5-2). Coastal placed behind Liberty College and Radford.
Slippery Rock: Wrestler Erick Eythe from Hickory High scored a major decision (9-0) in the 149-pound class, to help Slippery Rock post a 25-16 win over Howard University.
-- John Kovach